What to Write in Interviewer Thank You Notes

Here are some tips to help you set the right tone in your interviewer thank you notes.

Keep it Brief

Do not write a novel. Say thank you, acknowledge they took time out to meet you, mention something positive about the school and highlight your fit for the school. If you had a particularly memorable conversation you can bring up one or two points. Don’t present a thesis on why you should be accepted or make promises like “this is my number one school. If accepted I will attend”. This is a thank you note. The purpose is to thank the interviewer. It is not a letter of intent and will not be treated as such. If you want to send such a letter do so – to the general admissions office.

Avoid Negatives

If your interviewer was late or if it was raining, there is no reason to rehash this in the note. Writing “I really did not mind that you were late to the interview” does not make you look magnanimous and forgiving. It makes you look arrogant, unwilling to forget simple slights and socially awkward. Similarly, you might feel a joke about the terrible weather is funny, but unless this was Hurricane Sandy or Katrina, it is not worth mentioning. It just shows how much you don’t know about living in the geographic area of the medical school.

Don’t Use Flattery

Trying to butter up your interviewer by talking about his/her personal attributes is transparent and awkward. You can have a sentence with positive aspects of the school and how well it suits you, but don’t go on at length about how your interviewer is truly changing the field of medicine etc. This was an interview to get to know you, not the other way around.

As always – no gimmicks! Do not send a gift, invite your interview for coffee or do anything out of the ordinary. You never how this will be interpreted and you don’t want the letter to HURT your chances. E-Mail is the best way to ensure these notes arrive in a timely fashion. Don’t waste your time with hand written notes. Often they don’t arrive and when they do they may be late.